EATS Day Conference Report – From the Session Rooms
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Nothing short of transformation – changing and pivoting from the way the commercial aviation training enterprise and its partners are conducting business – was in the air during the conference Day 1 Session 1 keynote addresses.
Common themes highlighted by the three keynoters: Dr. Ana Vieira de Mata, Chairwoman of the Board at Portuguese CAA; Capt. Phil Adrian, Co-chair APTG; and Captain Jean-Michel Bigarre, President, AMFTA, included the challenges and opportunities of AI and other new learning technologies, the imperative to properly recruit, train and retain the next-generation workforce, and the importance to concurrently increase safety and training.
Chairwoman Viera de Mata presented a number of challenges and recommended solutions to the well-attended opening session. Noting that from her regulator’s position emerging challenges of maintaining public safety, migrating to sustainable and environmentally conscience practices and others, required advanced training solutions. The construct for a new training path requires, in part, a multi-discipline approach. AI was on the official’s radar screen as one way to advance training, as she first noted the technology has the ability to increase human factors and other benefits – but not without
challenges. The chairwoman pointed out ethics, security, reliability, human oversight and transparency need to be addressed as AI is implemented in training organizations. Chairwoman Viera de Mata also asserted that training the next generation’s workforce is a strategic issue, one that requires an active role by regulators given the projected workforce shortfalls through the decade.
Captain Phil Adrian issued calls for action in other parts of the community. Adrian first explained the recent changes of the Aircrew Training Policy Group (ATPG) that have permitted the body to be elevated to industry-board status under EASA, an “official status.” The community veteran then painted a strategic view of commercial aviation, noting recent reductions in force at Airbus and Boeing are among the signs of an unstable industry. Adrian offered reasons for his assessment, including the industry has failed to move forward with digitization and it has not effectively adopted new training technology. Moving beyond offering problems, he more importantly suggested solutions. Adrian remains an advocate for advancing CBTA and EBT in training organizations. He further offered the industry needs “new solutions, new people and new regulations, as current ones provide little or no flexibility.” Then noting “hours do not equal quality and safety,” he further suggested the industry needs non-aviation experts from universities, the military and even medicine, under the premise “we can learn from each other.” Adrian’s focused industry assessment also called on industry to more fully base decisions on data.
A manufacturers’ balance to the keynotes was provided by Captain Jean-Michel Bigarre, President, AMFTA. Focus points presented by the industry representative requiring community-wide action included: multi-engine training; MCC; CBTA guidance and reconciling global differences in theoretical knowledge. The keynote speaker was in synch with Capt. Phil Adrian on the subject of regulations, questioning: whether a lot of regulations are much too detailed; and whether there is compliance for compliance’s sake. The final key noter proved to be another high-level advocate at this conference for CBTA – “the right tool for right now.”
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